California wildfires have destroyed a summer camp utilized by a Minnesota non-profit that offers programs for young people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Patrick Kindler, executive director of One Heartland, says everyone was evacuated before the fire came through. “We’re devastated this happened, and there’s still a lot of people that are still in danger, and the winds have picked up again, and so we’re sending out our hearts and prayers for the people that are still in danger,” he says.
Kindler says while the facility that hosted Camp Hollywood HEART is insured and is promised to be rebuilt, the loss is still devastating to hundreds of youth and staff who have attended since 1994. “We are resilent, and so is everyone out in California, and… we’re ready to continue and to make sure that our programs are still available for our young people this year,” he says.